Brake-beam safety hanger



July 5,1927. 1,634,902

" J. H. GIMPEL BRAKE BEAM SAFETY HANGER Filed June 26. 1925 l i I? 77 I ////////7///// JaZz 'as /K Q; 97/26 2 My:

Patented July 5, 1927.

JULIl'J'S H. GIMPEL, F DECATUR, ILLINOIS.

BRAKE BEAM SAFETY HANGER.

Application filed June 26, 1925. Serial No. 39,640.

This invention relates to safety hangers for brake beams for railway cars and the like.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of new and improved means for supporting the brake beamand brake mechanism and preventing their falling be neath the wheels of the car in case their supports become broken or accidentally detached. v p I I Another object'of the invention is the'provision of new and improved means for attachingthe safety hangers to their support-s, v whereby the same may be readily detached. or removed and replaced when it becomes desirable or necessary.

Another object of the invention is the pro- .vision of new and improved supporting means for thesafety hanger bars.

Another object of the invention the provision of a new and improved brake beam safety hanger that is simple in construction cheap to manufacture, easily assembledmnay be readily attached to the truck, efficient in broken or get out of order. 1 7

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which-' Fig. 1 is a vertical. sect-ion through a railway truck showing the invention in position thereon, with parts removed;

Fig. 2 is a planrview of the attachment; Fig. 3 is a section on line. of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4- of Fig. 2. In railway equipmentthe greater portion of the brake mechanism is carried by the trucks. The brake beams, are suspended from the truck frames by suitable hangers;

These hangers are placed under severe strain when the brakes-are applied because of the friction between the contacting surfaces and the force exerted by the rotating wheels. Furthermore there is considerable strain on the brake hangers even when they are released because the brake beams, shoes, etc., which they support, usually weigh from 3500 to 4000 pounds. As a result of these con diti-ons it is not unusual for the brake hangers to become broken or detached from the trucks at one or both ends, thus permitting operation, and that is not likely to become the brake beam to fall, and unless means are provided for supporting it the beam may cause a wreck or seriously injure the car.

Numerous devices have been provided for supporting the beam in case the hanger breaks or becomes accidentally disengagec, but most of these devices are costly,cu.mbersome, and are extremely difficult to attach to the truck. p

In the present invention .theparts are readily assembled, and are easily attached to the trucks.

On the drawing the reference character 10 designates a portion of a truck having a side frame 11 of any approved construction. The brake beams 12 having the brake shoes 13 thereon are supported from the frame by the links or hangers 14 in the usual manner. The truck is also provided with the usual spring plank 15 which in the present instance is shown as being a channel bar. Since the truck frame, brake beam, hangers, shoes and spring plank constitute no part of the present invention it is not thought necessary to furtherv describe the same. 7

One or more safety supporting bars 16, two being shown, are suspended beneath the brake beams for supporting the same in case the links or hangers 14 should break or become disengaged from the truck frame. Suitable means are provided for supporting the bars 16 from the spring plank 15. As shown, a plurality of hangers is provided for each bar. Each hanger 17 is provided with a return bend 18 forming an open slot 19 which is adapted to engage one of the flanges 21 of thespring plank 15. The hangers 17 and the flanges 21 may be and preferably are provided with ali'n'ed apertures through which a pin 22' may be inserted for preventing disengagementor displacement of the hangers 17 along the spring plank. Each of these pins 22 is provided with means such as the cotter pins 23 for preventing their withdrawal.

The lower end of each of the hangers is provided with means for interlocking with the. bar 16. Any suitable means may be provided for this purpose. As shown, the lower end of each hanger is provided with ing the slots in the hangers 17 at each side of the spring plank 15. The parts are so arranged that the bars 16 are adapted to engage the hottom oi the spring plank 15 for preventing vertical movement and the consequent disengagement at the hangers from the flanges of said plank.

Suitable means are provided for holding the har 16 in fixed position relative to the hangers when the parts have been assembled. Any suitable means, such as the pins may he employed. These pins extend through alined openings in the bar 16 and the lower portion of the hangers 1T. Cotter pins or other securing means 526 prevent the aecidental withdrawal of the pins 25.

In assembling; the device the hangers l? are attached to the flanges 21 of the spring plank 15 so that their slots will he in alie'ir menh after which the hars 16 are slid into the slots to the proper position, and the parts secured in position by the pins 22 and 25. i

The bars 16 extend longitudinally of the truck and are of such a length that they will overlap the wheels wherehy the truck beam will he supported by the hair ltt should the hanger it become broken or d s 'ilaeed. lhe hars are extended in both direi-tions past the periphery of the wheel in order that it will he impossible for the hrake beams to hecome disengaged from said liars.

\Vhile the interlocking: connection between the hangers and the her 16 is shown as being formed oi a T-shaped slot and correspondingly shaped bar, it is understood that this interlocking: connection may he of any form so long as the bar may he slid to position and interlock with the hanger. By means of this arrangement the weight supported by the hars it) will he carried directly by the shoulders on the hangers formed by the slots, the pins 25 supporting none of the weight and heing used merely to prevent the movement of the hars 16 alone; the hangers.

It is thought from the foregoing taken in connection with the accompanying drawings that the construction and operation 01" my device will he apparent to those skilled in the art, and that various changes in size, shapmproportion and details of construction may he made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1.. A safety support for hra'ke n'ieehanisn'n eon'iprisina a plurality oi? hook members having a T-shaped channel in the lower portion of each of said men'ihers, a rigid har having; a T-shaped upper portion slidahly mounted in said channel for forming an intcrlocking connection hetween said hook. memhers and said bar, and means extending transversely thrtmgh said bar and members for securing said bar to said members.

In combination, a truck con'iprisinxg' axles. a frame for connecting said axles, said frame including" a channel memher arranged transversely oti said truck, hrake mechanism suspended from said frame, a pair of: supporting; ha'rs having: T-shaped upper portions, means for suspending said supporting hars "from said frame heneath said mechanism. said means comprising hangers having hooks engaging the flanges of said channel memher. the hangers at each shie of said truck being provided with alined T shaped slots adjacent to the lower portion of said channel memher tor receiving and sup 'mrting said supporting liars, sa 3d supporting hars being adapted to engage said channel memher tor preventing vertical lllOYt-Zll'ltlli] of said, hooks, means for prevene lug; movement of said hooks along said channel memher. and means For preventing lonpjitudinal movement of said hars relative to said hooks.

I). An attachment for supporting rail- .way brake liiea'n'is in emergencies, comprising a pair of hangers having open slots in their upper ends for engaging a flange and provided with alined apertures for receiving a bolt for securing said slotted end to said lian ae. the lower end of said hangers being provided with alined T-shaped slots, a bar slidahly mounted in said slots, and means for rigidly securing said bar to said hangers :t'or supportng said bar adjacent to the open ends of said slots.

In testimony whereof I a'liix my signature.

JULIUS H. GIMPEL. 

